Description and Intro
Hot Birds, a Knoxville born Hot Chicken concept is OPENING its second location! Our customers and Knoxville visitors rave about this being their GO-TO spot downtown in the Marble City Market food hall. We pride ourselves in making scratch-made food such as hand-breaded spicy chicken sandwiches, tenders, loaded fries, wings, mac and cheese and banana pudding.
We are a high energy, high collaboration environment that rewards employees with spot bonuses, tip-sharing and free meals during working hours, and performance-based pay raises and promotions on a quarterly basis.
We are looking for an experienced general manager who has a passion for Hot Chicken. Good leadership will be crucial in bringing this delicious new concept to the Knoxville area as we look at rapid expansion in the next couple of years. We will consider the most tenured employees as eligible for promotions.
We will be open 7 days a week, 11 am to 9 pm. Our 2 shifts will run from 9am to 5pm (Morning) and from 5pm to 10pm (Evening). Address is 460 North Cedar Bluff Rd.
Job Responsibilities1. Operational & Kitchen Excellence
- High-Volume Kitchen Supervision: Oversee prep, breading, frying, hot-holding, and expediting lines to ensure product quality, heat level precision, and rapid speed of service during high-peak rushes.
- Food Safety & Cleanliness: Enforce absolute adherence to local health codes, FDA standards, and internal food safety procedures. Manage proper holding temperatures, cross-contamination prevention (especially raw poultry handling), and kitchen sanitation protocols.
- Quality Assurance: Ensure all menu items—from spice profiles to side dishes and guest customization—meet strict brand specifications before leaving the pass.
2. Financial & Business Management (P&L)
- Inventory Control: Lead inventory management, including weekly counts, ordering, waste reduction (raw chicken yields, oil management), stock rotation (FIFO), and supplier quality auditing.
- Labor Optimization: Create optimized staff schedules aligned with projected sales volumes, weather, and local events to ensure proper floor coverage without overshooting labor budgets.
- Cash & Asset Control: Oversee daily register reconciliations, safe audits, bank deposits, and preventive maintenance on high-value kitchen equipment (fryers, hoods, refrigeration).
3. Team Leadership, Culture & Talent Management
- Recruitment & Staffing: Source, interview, and hire team members, line cooks, expediters, and shift leaders who align with the brand’s high-energy culture.
- Training & Development: Onboard and continuously train staff using standardized operational manuals, cross-training team members across both front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) stations.
- Performance & Retention: Conduct performance reviews, deliver real-time coaching, handle disciplinary actions, and foster a supportive, high-energy environment that minimizes staff turnover.
Experience & Qualification Requirements
Required Experience & Track Record
- QSR / Fast-Casual Leadership: 2+ years of experience as a General Manager (or 4+ years as an Assistant GM) in a high-volume Quick-Service Restaurant (QSR) or fast-casual environment ($1.0M–$3M+ annual unit volume preferred).
- Fried Chicken / High-Heat Kitchen Experience: Proven experience managing high-volume fryer lines and raw protein handling in a fast-paced environment.
- Team Leadership: History of developing shift managers into assistant managers and maintaining high crew retention metrics.
Certifications & Technical Skills
- ServSafe Certified: Valid ServSafe Manager (or equivalent state-level food safety) certification required.
- Tech-Savvy Operations: Hands-on experience with modern QSR point-of-sale (POS) systems (e.g., Toast, Revel, NCR Aloha), inventory software, scheduling tools (e.g., 7shifts, HotSchedules), and third-party delivery management systems.
Physical & Personal Attributes
- Physical Stamina: Ability to stand, bend, stoop, and move quickly for extended periods (8–10+ hour shifts) in hot kitchen conditions.
- Schedule Flexibility: Willingness to work various Morning or Evenings shifts from 9am to 10pm, at least 5 days a week and for a total of 40-50 hours per week.
- Crisis Management: Ability to maintain composure, prioritize tasks, and solve complex operational bottlenecks during heavy lunch/dinner rushes.
- Transport: Reliable personal transportation and a valid driver's license (for bank deposits and store errands).
Job Requirements
- Age Requirement: Must be 21 years of age or older.
- Shift Availability (FULL TIME)
- Must be available for full-time work (35–40 hours/week), including typical shifts from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM or 5:00 PM to 10:00pm at least 5 days a week.
- Physical Demands: Comfortable standing for long periods, working in close team spaces, and handling kitchen heat.
- Skills & Mindset: A positive attitude (non-negotiable), a passion for guest hospitality, and strong communication skills.
- Logistics: Reliable transportation to and from work, plus a phone or reliable way to stay connected with the team.
Benefits & Perks
- Competitive Pay ($20–$25/hr) with guaranteed hours (35–40 hrs/week) including tips
- Open to salaried role for this position.
- Free meals during your shift and a free uniform
- Paid Time Off: Paid birthday off + additional paid days off after 1 year of employment
- Free uniforms
- Paid training and clear opportunities for growth in a welcoming environment
- Employee discounts and flexible scheduling
How to Apply
Ready to join the team? Text or Email us with answers to these questions and your resume. You may also apply online on https://gethotbirds.com/careers
What is your hourly compensation target?
Provide a brief 1 sentence on why you are looking for a new role.
Will you be able to provide 2 past employment references from managers?
How many years of restaurant experience do you have? (anything from cooking, dishwashing, server, hosting, customer service counts). 2 years is required for this role.
Have you worked at any local Knoxville restaurants that are not national franchises?
Email: [email protected]. Text us at 865-500-4270.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $20.00 - $25.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Paid time off
- Paid training
Ability to Commute:
- Knoxville, TN 37923 (Required)
Work Location: In person
